Second Chances: A Brother's Strength
by jtbwriter
Summary: Rick Simon is targeted by mercenaries with one objective: kill Oscar Goldman. How can one man withstand torture to save a life? And can A.J. and their family find him in time?
1. Chapter 1

Second Chances: A Brother's Strength

Rick Simon is targeted by mercenaries with one objective: kill Oscar Goldman. How can one man withstand torture to save a life? And can A.J. and his family find him in time?

(This is a work of fiction. No money is being made on it, and the characters are owned by Universal Studios and are only being borrowed for a little while. .)

A/N: For any new readers, "Second Chances" is my "what if?" for Rick and A.J. Simon...What if they didn't end the partnership or A.J. didn't marry Janet or Liz... What if Rick had a long-lost sweetheart who needed protection from a crazed stalker? And ...what if Rick and his girl fell in love, adopted her niece and nephew, and made a home first in San Diego then in Arizona? These "what if''s" are the basis for my continuing "Simon & Simon" as if they never went off the air. This series also includes crossovers from Six Million Dollar Man/Bionic Woman and Dark Shadows...so feel free to read my other stories for the whys and wherefores of these three worlds meeting!

"No."

The word dribbled out of his cut and swollen mouth, but the sound was unmistakable.

"I don't think you quite get it, Mr. Simon. What did you say?" The neatly dressed man held up a hand as Rick saw a ham-fisted goon approach him.

"I said no. I won't do it." Rick barely saw the blow that made his head snap back, and his legs gave way. A steely grip held him upright, then the same genteel voice spoke.

"Well, if physical…persuasion doesn't work.. maybe we ought to try something else….Charlie, go call Mrs. Simon…she might be able to change his mind."

"NO….leave her out of this…ow!" Rick yelled out in pain as his arms were jerked backwards, then he was dragged to a pole and bound with thick ropes.

"See, gentlemen….perhaps we needn't bother the lady….think about it, Mr. Simon."

Chuckling, the three men walked away, a door clanging shut and bolted behind them.

For a moment all Rick could do was draw painful, choking breaths, then he managed to calm his racing heart.

"_They'll find me….there's no way A.J. would believe I'd take off like that…."_ He thought. But the words of his captors ran through his mind.

"_You're going to kill Oscar Goldman…..if you don't, your family will die."_


	2. Chapter 2

"Wake up Mr. Simon…" The genteel voice was back.

For a moment Rick was confused, he had dozed off and found himself on his old boat, with A.J. at his side, needling him.

"I said..WAKE UP!" Suddenly a bucket of ice water was thrown on him, and he was coughing and sputtering.

"I'm awake, you bastard..what do you want now?" he swore. At once the calm voice was back. "That's better. Now, have you thought about our request?"

Rick scowled, squinting through swollen eyes at the shadowy figure in front of him.

"I said no, no, I won't kill Oscar for you….my wife won't either!"

"Oh?" For a moment there was a touch of ….respect. Then another shadow joined the first man, and suddenly a bright light was switched on in back of them. Blinded, Rick heard the newcomer say, "Our client wants an update."

"Tell him we're working on our ….solution. And to be patient…" There was silence as Mr. Genteel seemed to be thinking something over, then he seemingly came to a decision.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Mr. Simon…I guess we'll have to change your mind for you…Gerald?"

Out of the glaring light came a tall, stocky man, holding something that flashed in his hand. Suddenly he came at Rick, then thrust the object against his arm.

A painful charge of electricity shot through him, and he jerked and shook, trying not to scream as the unnerving force went though his whole body. Removing it for a moment, he reapplied it to Rick's other arm, causing him to grit his teeth against the gutteral sounds his throat wanted to unleash.

"All right, Gerald, that's enough." His captor ordered.

Sullenly the man withdrew the electrical device, and Rick let out a gasp and went limp.

Trying to catch his breath, he shot a look of hate at the two men, watching as the man with the calm voice gave some kind of order. As Gerald walked away, the other man crouched down to Rick's eye level.

"I hate to see anyone suffer, Mr. Simon. That is why I'm giving you another chance to think it over…. Five hundred thousand dollars,….just for one shot… I realize Oscar Goldman is your father-in-law….but trust me, is his life more important then yours?"

Every pore, every muscle was on fire, but still Rick worked up enough strength to spit at his captor. "There's your answer…" he snarled.

As if annoyed by a spider, the man brushed the spittle from his face, then stood up.

"Have it your way, Mr. Simon….we'll be back." With that the light was switched off, and Rick was alone once more.

For a moment he felt like screaming, yelling, crying…_"Dear God, I can't ….how can I withstand that…" _

Then he felt it….faint, clear…"Rick? Where are you? Darling…hold on!"

Laurie…no…he mustn't call to her…they'd take her, hurt her to make him do the worst thing…kill her adopted father, the man who had saved him time and again.

If only it was yesterday again…but what could he have done different?

Oh, yeah….

"Of course you can go fishing, Rick….but it's so cold…sure you want to go to Havasu?"

Laurie's voice came back to him…stubborn as he was, he didn't catch the worry in her voice until it was too late.

"Yeah, darlin'..it's the last day of fishing season…I want to at least use my license." He answered, grabbing his gear and his jacket. "I'm sorry A.J. has youth football practice, but I'll be back by dinner time."

"All right love, just be careful." Laurie put her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. Finally coming up for air, Rick snickered at his wife's blush and dropped his lips on the tip of her nose one more time.

"I love you…save some of that for when I get home, sweetheart."

"I will love, enjoy." She smiled, then walked him to the door with Jack barking and growling at his tackle box.

"Down, Jacky….mind your mom now!" he shook his finger at the little dog, then blew a kiss at Laurie and went to his truck. As he finished loading his equipment, his watch buzzed.

"Oh, A.J. ….what's up?" he replied, seeing it was his brother's caller ID.

"Hey, Rick, glad I caught you, can you help with practice today?"

"No, I'm going fishing at Lake Mead…sure you don't want to join me? We could rent a boat and stay all day." Rick winced as A.J.'s tone dropped several degrees.

"No, thanks, Rick…I can't just take off like you do. Besides….the kids are waiting. See you later." Click.

"Well, what do you know…" Rick was furious at his brother's attitude. _"I guess I'll just take myself to the lake."_

As he drove down the highway, he found himself grumbling about killjoys and not wanting to act old before he was.

After driving a couple of hours, Rick shook his head at himself, wishing he had thought of calling Robbie or Rob or even Oscar. Maybe they would have come along, given him the answers he was looking for….

_"Answers? What am I thinking? I'm happy with what I'm doing-taking off to fish whenever I please, no more working on cases for ingrates…"_

Startled, he almost missed the turnoff to the docks, only just exiting the freeway in time. As he pulled into the parking lot, Rick realized he wasn't happy with retirement, at least what he was doing with it.

_"This was pretty selfish of me to just up and leave Laurie at home alone, and A.J….well, he doesn't ask much…wouldn't have hurt me to turn around …."_

Acting on impulse, Rick got out of his truck and headed towards the payphone next to the

Boat rental office. Dialing his home number, he smiled at the polite "Simon Residence".

"Is this Mrs. Simon, wife of the luckiest man around?"

"Yes, this is Mrs. Simon, wife of the sweetest husband around…Darling, you made good time..is it very crowded?" Rick grinned.

"No, darlin'…" he turned and looked around, seeing only a few people fishing off the docks some distance away. "Only a few fishermen…I think because it's almost off-season."

"Well, I'm just sorry A.J. couldn't go with you…Linda says he's been a little mopey about you going fishing without him." At that Rick lost his good humor, no wonder his brother had been upset.

"Laurie, I'm sorry, I should have offered my help to his youth football practice, then he could have come with me."

"Mr. Simon?"

Rick turned at his name, phone still in hand.

A well-dressed man stood in front of him, holding a small revolver. "Please say you have to go to your wife, then hang up the phone. Now."

Startled, Rick found his voice. "Who are you? What do you…."

"Now, Mr. Simon, or I'll go pay a visit to your wife…." The man said. At once Rick put the receiver to his mouth.

"I have to go, sweetheart, guess I parked in the wrong spot. Call you later, Laurel." He said, then hung up. Before he could move, a hand snaked around his neck while a cloth with something wet and cold on it was clamped over his mouth and nose.

"What the…." Rick started to protest, struggling in the iron grasp of someone big. Almost immediately he was dazed, his arms and legs starting to weaken as he tried fruitlessly to hold his breath.

"Take a deep breath, Mr. Simon, or your wife will be next." The quiet voice froze his struggles long enough for his eyes to close, sounds muffling around him, then darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

"Laurel….he called me Laurel, Dad….something is wrong!" Laurie was shaking as she paced back and forth, phone in hand. "I heard a voice, telling him to hang up the phone."

"Are you sure, honey? Maybe someone had to use it?" Oscar Goldman's calm tone only made her feel agitated, but she forced herself to take a momentary breath. "No, Dad, I heard a voice tell him "Now, then something about "your wife". That's when Rick told me he had to go, that he'd parked wrong. Then he said, "Call you later, Laurel".

"Laurie, I want you to get Jack in, then stay put..understand? I'll be there in a little while, but keep trying A.J's. I don't think that football practice was supposed to last that long." The older man sighed when Laurie assured him, "I'll wait right by the phone, Dad. I've got my transmitter on receive, just in case."

An hour later Laurie was still trying to reach her brother and sister-in-law, when the gate buzzer went off. Rushing to look out the front windows, she was relieved to see her son Robbie and Chief Rob. Pushing the entry button, Laurie opened the front door, then was trembling in her son's arms.

"It's okay, Mama, it's okay…we'll find Pop." Robbie assured her. Immediately she wiped her eyes, then took a deep breath. "Thank you, son…Rob…thanks for coming so fast…I'm scared….Rick has only called me Laurel once before…"

"I know, Light….I remember…when that loon had you. We'll find Rick….. Now, tell us what happened?" The younger man asked.

Explaining the phone call from Rick, Laurie found comfort in holding Robbie's hand as he too turned on his transmitter watch. For another thirty minutes the three of them waited, then a beeping noise let Robbie know someone was signaling him, and for a moment the three of them thought it might be Rick.

"Robbie, come in….It's Uncle A.J.."

"Uncle A.J….thank God. We need you to get in touch with Uncle Oscar….Pop's missing, we think someone took him from Lake Havasu!"

A shocked gasp met their ears, then A.J.'s voice sounded again.

"Robbie, what happened? Are you with your Mom?"

"Yes…she's okay…but she got a phone call from Pop this afternoon…" The sheriff explained what Rick had said, then A.J. gave them their first ray of hope.

"I'm getting a reading from my watch…it's on his frequency…..I think he's in the area…."

"Can you hear him…is it on send?" Robbie put his arm around his mother as A.J. replied,

"No…but I'm getting a northwest direction ….wait a minute…listen."

"A.J.?"

"Rick? Is that you? Are you okay?"

Muffled, the unmistakable voice of Rick was on A.J.'s transmitter. "Sorry you didn't come with me, Andy…I met some of my old platoon mates and we're going up to Laughlin for the night."

"Rick? Is everything okay? Laurel didn't know you were going to stay overnight?" Laurie nodded at her brother-in-law's subterfuge in using her real name.

"Well, she'll understand, just give her a call, okay? Thanks, A.J." Before the younger Simon could answer, there was silence.

"Rick? Rick?" A.J. tried to get him back, but the transmission ended.

"Damn…!" A.J. swore, then audibly got his temper under control. "Sorry, sis..Robbie…. I'll try again in a few minutes. In the meantime, stay with your Mom….Rob…can you get a hold of Ron and Abby?"

"All ready called them, they're on their way to the ranch now."

While his family was mobilizing to search for him, Rick furiously tore at the rope around his wrists. When he had come to full consciousness, he was in a cold, damp room, his wrists bound together. Barely able to see, he recovered his senses enough to see shadows and the persistent blinking of a tiny light on his wrist.

"Oh, boy…." Rick thought, then tried to hit the send function on his watch. Just then footsteps sounded outside.

Trying to cover the watch with the damp sleeve of his shirt, he froze as a bright light was shone on him.

"Well, good evening Mr. Simon. I'm glad to see you're awake." Recognizing the voice as belonging to one of his assailants, he tried to get to a sitting position.

"What's going on? Why did you kidnap me….I don't have a lot of money…." Suddenly a tall figure came out of the shadows, and roughly grabbed him, yanking him to his feet.

"Shut up, Simon…we're doing the talking." An iron grip held him motionless, then the polite voice spoke again.

"Gerald…I must ask you not to treat our guest that way, not yet at any rate." Rick saw a second figure come towards him, and he made out the features of the well-dressed man, again holding a revolver on him.

"We know you don't have a "lot of money", Mr. Simon…although you and your lovely wife do very nicely on her book royalties and your savings. No, I do apologize for the method we have utilized to bring you here. But our time is limited, and to accomplish our goals, we have need of your marksmanship and …unique relationship to the means to …shall we say, our ends?"

Puzzled, Rick looked the man in the eyes. "My marksmanship? Mister, …?" he fished a little, then caught the hint of a smile in the semi-darkness.

"You may call me Mr. Price…it's as good as any…and it's not just the gold marksmanship metals you earned as a Marine…it's the opportunity you provide us. An opportunity worth five hundred thousand dollars to you."

Blinking at the almost-offhand way the figure was mentioned, Rick answered casually "Listen, if you wanted me to investigate someone or retrieve something for you, all you had to do was ask…my brother and I still do a few assignments…"

"Oh, that's what we're doing, Mr. Simon…we want you for a very lucrative assignment. All you have to do is take care of someone our client wants out of the way, very badly."

Again, that faint smile.

Rick swallowed, then firmly said, "I don't know "who" you want me to take care of….but I don't do "murder for hire"…I help the police get people like that."

"Well, Mr. Simon, that's precisely what we want you to do…we want you to kill a very important person, one you are in close proximity to….Oscar Goldman."

Rick couldn't hide his surprise, which immediately turned to anger. "You must be crazy…you want me to kill Oscar?"

Out of nowhere a fist caught him in the stomach, then in the jaw. Gasping, Rick struggled with the man holding him, trying to turn fruitlessly away as yet another blow to his stomach nearly made him throw up.

"Enough! Wait a minute….what's that light on his wrist?"

Groaning, Rick helplessly saw his watch yanked off his wrist. Unfortunately the telltale light on his transmitter showed someone was trying to reach him.

"I thought I told you to check him for radios or pagers!" The frustration of "Mr. Price" seemed to frighten the man holding him. "Sorry, sir…but…I thought it was just a watch."

"You thought? Please!" For a moment there was silence, then …

"Well Mr. Simon, looks like we'll have to take care of this….let me see…how do you turn this on?"

Rick remained quiet until he felt the gun barrel against his head. "I said…How do you turn it on?"

"Press the stem in and turn it up." Rick gritted through his teeth. At once the light changed to green, and Price thrust it towards his mouth. "All right, Mr. Simon, tell your brother you've met up with some friends and that you're going to …Laughlin for the night. If you don't….I'll send my men to get your wife…."

His stomach in knots, Rick glared at him, then spoke. "A.J.?"

"Rick? Is that you? Are you okay?" Worry colored his brother's voice, and Rick felt trapped. Then…he remembered their long-time code for trouble.

"Sorry you didn't come with me, Andy…I met some of my old platoon mates and we're going up to Laughlin for the night." Rick hoped he'd catch the hint.

_As A.J. again asked if he was all right, and said that "Laurel" didn't know he was going to be out all night, Rick felt a moment of hope._

"Well, she'll understand, just give her a call, okay? Thanks, A.J." The watch was yanked away from his mouth, then he heard a crunch. Without seeing it, Rick knew his brother's gift had been crushed underfoot.

"There you go, Mr. Simon…you have some time to think over our …preposition. Five hundred thousand dollars for one shot, one dead man…" Furious, Rick shook his head.

"You're wasting your time…" At once he was cut off by the formerly calm Price getting in his bloodied face.

"No …Mr. Simon…I don't waste anything…either you do as we say, then walk away alive with half a million in your pocket…" the man paused, then regaining his composure, continued, "You're going to kill Oscar Goldman…..if you don't, your family will die."


	4. Chapter 4

"Ron, any news on your end?" Rob Gamez asked the Phoenix Chief of Detectives as he came in the ranch house door. Ron just shook his head, then held the door open for his wife.

"The only word I have is what I'm getting out of Lake Havasu. Rick's truck is still in the parking lot, at least we got a hold of their traffic people so it wouldn't be towed before A.J. could get up there to examine it." Abby greeted the tribal chief, then asked, "Where's Laurie…is she all right?"

"I'm okay….thank you for coming, buddy." Laurie entered the room, pale but calm looking. Embracing the newcomers, she told Ron, "It's like we thought, Rick's watch is not answering, I think whoever made Rick call destroyed it. And his emergency watch doesn't seem to be working."

"Honey, what about his locator chip, you know, the one he and you have in your arms?" Ron asked, then saw his friend brighten.

"Oh, Ron, I love you….I completely forgot…let me call Rudy…he and Dad stopped at OSI headquarters to see if there'd been any intel on who might have taken Rick. They can track him with that!"

"Well, I love him too, Laurie, but I'll share!" Abby told her, making her smile. "Now you sit here and call Rudy….I'm going to get you some tea."

Just as her friend brought her something to drink, the cordless phone in Laurie's hand rang, and she answered it.

"Simon residence."

"Laurie, it's A.J….I just finished looking at Rick's truck. Put me on speaker, will you?"

Doing as he requested, she called her son in from his patrol car, where he had been coordinating the search locally, then Ron and Rob both sat down to listen.

"We're all here, A.J….did you find anything?"

"Sorry, sis…Rick's emergency watch was still in the truck, he left it in the glove compartment. His tackle box is here, and it looks like he was using the payphone at the bait shop when he was grabbed. There's a surveillance camera at the entrance of the shop, the owner's pulling the tape now. Thanks, Ron..that call you made really helped me get some cooperation." A.J. added.

"You're welcome, pal. We may have another way to track Rick, but we're just waiting for Rudy to call back., then we'll head toward Phoenix… If that's the last location we have his transmitter coming from, that might be where we'll find Rick." He answered.

As if in answer to his words, a beeping from Robbie's police radio let them know someone was trying to reach him, and answering it, the sheriff found Oscar on the other end.

"Hey, Uncle Oscar….what did you and Uncle Rudy find out?"

"No news, son.." the calm tone of the former OSI chief was tinged with worry, and Laurie hastened to say, "Dad, Ron remembered about Rick's locator chip, you know, the one Rudy put in his arm about two years ago?"

"Good work, Ron….We forgot about that….just a minute…" Oscar's words were muffled for a few moments, then he came back on.

"I just talked to Steve and Jaime…Rudy was checking both their locator chips while I was speaking to the bureau chief. Rudy has his portable tracer at A.J.'s condo…the four of us will meet you all there. Laurie, I want you to leave the lights on at the house, then have the guys sneak you into Ron's cruiser through the back. Robbie, leave a deputy on watch in the parking area, as if Laurie's still there, okay?"

"Sure, Uncle Oscar….you're one jump ahead." Robbie replied, relieved for his surrogate uncle's help. "We'll be there in about 20 minutes."

As he said goodbye, Laurie gathered a few things together, then put their dog Jack into his carrier with his toys. Letting Robbie take the excited dog with him, Laurie waited until Ron and Abby pulled up next to the kitchen steps, then huddled down and scooted into the back of the police cruiser. One by one the three cars drove out of the ranch, with Robbie waiting back until Deputy Andy arrived, then he followed the others down the highway.

Within half an hour, the group of family and friends were gathered at A.J. and Linda's, with a deputy from Phoenix PD standing guard at the two entrances to the complex.

Once Oscar and Rudy had arrived with the Austin's, Laurie explained to Ceci, Melly and Robin that their Uncle was missing, and that they were to stay within the house until he was found.

"But you're going to find him, Dad, right?" Robin asked plainly, Ceci scowling in back of him.

"Of course we're going to find your Uncle, son. Ceci…we're not going to hold anything back from you kids unless it's classified, okay?" A.J. spoke firmly to his oldest daughter.

Seeing his seriousness, she nodded, then led the younger children to their playroom as Rudy turned on his locator in A.J.'s office. Laurie, Jaime and Steve joined Rudy as he tuned into the frequency of Rick's chip. Almost at once, Laurie gasped, grabbing at Steve Austin's arm.

"No! Rick…..they're hurting him…it's burning…." Immediately Steve picked her up, and carried her out of the office into the guest bedroom.

"Put her down on the bed, Steve…honey, let go of Rick….just let go…" Linda told her, bringing her a glass of water. The former colonel grimaced, and seeing his pain, Laurie reluctantly jerked her thoughts away from her husband. Just as quickly as the burning sensation began, it ended, and Steve took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, honey….I should have been able to handle what you felt…it wasn't anything like what Rick's going through."

"No….it's okay…I couldn't ..oh, my darling Rick..what are they doing to him?" Laurie closed her eyes, then reached out to him again. "Rick, where are you…Please hold on…"

She sensed his drawing back and a sense of something like guilt. Again she "called out" "Darling…we'll find you…I promise, love."

"Missy, what happened, what did you feel?" Rudy was at her side, making her sip from the glass of water, then taking her pulse.

"I felt Rick in pain…they were burning him with little needles or something, Rudy… It hurt so much, then ….I let go and it stopped. I called out to Rick…he's afraid for me…I told him to hang on." Laurie watched the doctor as he turned and said something to Steve, then focused on her.

"Missy, your pulse is better now, but I have to tell you….whatever Rick's kidnappers were doing to him, it shorted out his chip." At that Laurie's eyes filled with tears.

"No…Rudy…they're going to kill him… The only way we have to find him is gone, I need to have you take me toward his last location…it's the only way!"

"No, honey, you're not going anywhere. We'll find him, I promise.." Rudy told her, then Oscar came into the room and sat next to Laurie.

"Rudy is right…it won't do Rick any good to have you in danger…. Steve and Jaime are going to try to key in on a couple of locations he might be held in …. You know Steve can pick up Rick almost as well as you can."

"But Dad…." Laurie sat up, then subsided as her father shook his head. "No buts, Laurie. You are staying here where we can keep an eye on you, understand?"

"Yes, Dad." Laurie buried her face in his shoulder, and gently he comforted her. Linda had tears in her own eyes as she patted her sister-in-law's back. After a moment, Laurie pulled back, then kissed Oscar's cheek. "I love you, Dad…."

Just then A.J. came into the room, holding a cordless phone. "Oscar, it's the OSI office downtown, they have something."

"Thanks, son. Linda, you stay with her." The older man asked, then left the room as Rudy shook out a couple of pills and gave them to Linda. "If Missy has trouble resting, have her take these."

As soon as their friend closed the door, Laurie got an urgent look in her eyes. "Sis, I know Dad doesn't want me to be a decoy, but I do have a locator chip like Steve and Jaime and Rick… I might be the only way to find Rick!"

"Honey, I know that..I saw the look on your face when Rudy told you Rick's chip isn't working. But think about it, what if the kidnappers want Rick to do something bad….they could force him to do it if they threaten you!" Linda explained sorrowfully.

"I know…but ….it might be the only way…" Laurie started, only for A.J. to open the door and say, "We'll be right back, Ron is taking Oscar and Rudy back to the OSI, they might have a way of tracing Rick's chip with a larger machine. Rob and I are going to go over Rick's truck again, it's over at Phoenix PD. We'll call Robbie with any news."

"Be careful, A.J…." Linda told him, then he took his wife in his arms and kissed her. "It's going to be all right, Rob will keep an eye on me. Now, Sis….please don't worry." He told Laurie. She nodded, not trusting her words, then hugged him. "Be careful, little brother."

"Go ahead and see him out, sis…I'll just close my eyes for a moment." Laurie said, then sighed as Linda released her hand and followed A.J. out of the room. Waiting until the door was closed, Laurie closed her eyes, then reached out for Rick.

"Darling, can you hear me? Please answer me…Steve and Jaime are looking for you….but tell me where you are…why did they take you from me!"

Just then the phone rang, and out of habit Laurie answered it. "Simon Residence."

"Mrs. Simon…this is Mr. Price. I have your husband."


	5. Chapter 5

Shocked, Laurie still had the presence of mind to stall. "Who is this? What are you talking about…my husband is in Laughlin with some friends."

She heard a soft chuckle, then the pleasant voice spoke again. "Very smart, Mrs. Simon…but your husband didn't fool me with his little message to you. Now, I want you to do exactly as I say, or I will kill your husband." Laurie saw Linda in the doorway and immediately she signaled for her to have Robbie listen in.

"I'm not going to do anything until I hear he's all right…" Laurie told him, "How do I know you didn't already kill him?"

"Why would I go to all this trouble to kill Rick Simon, my dear…when he's so valuable to me? No….you want your husband and I want his cooperation…so this is what you're going to do.." At that Robbie appeared in the bedroom, holding the extension.

"No, this is what you're going to do." She interrupted, seeing Robbie asking her to play for time. "I want to talk to Rick, then I'll do what you say… You put him on and I'll listen to you."

"Very well, Mrs. Simon…I'll call back in 30 minutes….but no police or taps on the line, or you'll get him back in a coffin." Click.

As the dial tone came on, Robbie turned his phone off, then came to his mother and hugged her. "Good work, Mom….Ron set up a tracer in the kitchen…I bet we get something off of it!"

"Thank you Robbie…you don't know how glad I am that you're here…" Laurie kissed her son's cheek, then put an arm around Linda. "I know A.J. and Ron will find something to lead us to Rick…. But I won't let them torture him again…"

"Neither will I, Mama." Robbie promised, then left the room to call Phoenix PD for a trace. After a few minutes he came back. "Nothing yet, Mama…but they're checking. I'm going to listen to the tape on the machine."

"See why the guys didn't want you going out with them, Sis." Linda said. "I'm afraid of what this guy wants….what did he mean by Rick being valuable?"

"I don't know…but it scares me to think what they'll do to him if he says no." Laurie shivered. Just then the doorbell rang, and they heard Robbie answer the front door.

"Yes?"

"Package for Mrs. Simon. I need a signature, sir."

At once Laurie recognized the voice, and jumping up from the bed, hurried into the living room, Linda on her heels. As she rushed into the entry hall, there was a large thump, and she found her son backed into a wall, a gun in his chest. A clipboard was on the floor and the two women saw how Robbie was taken by surprise. Laurie stopped short, then whispered to Linda, "call for help." Immediately her sister-in-law slipped back down the hall as Laurie ran forward.

"Get away from my son this minute, Mr. Price, or whoever you are!" she ordered. Without turning, the uniformed man replied, "Only if you do exactly as I say, or I'll take the sheriff with me."

"Mom….don't…I'll be okay.." Robbie told her, then a beefy-looking thug came through the door and reached for him.

"Leave him alone, or I'll scream the neighborhood down!" Laurie yelled. At once Price held up his hand. "Charlie, do as the lady says. All right, Mrs. Simon, get in this and don't make a sound." "This" was a large garment bag leaning against the front door, with an open mesh front.

"No…" Robbie started to protest, but Price moved the gun closer to his chest and Laurie instantly stepped into the bag.

"I love you, son…" she whispered, then Charlie grabbed her wrists and bound them with a rope. Zipping up the bag, he picked it up as she heard Price warn Robbie, "Don't call the police, or both your parents are dead."

Shaking, she felt herself thrown over the big man's shoulder, and she saw through the mesh covering her face the sidewalk in front of A.J.'s condo, then the inside of a truck.

Suddenly she landed with a thump, on a hard floor as Price's voice ordered, "Take off, I hear sirens!"

There was a screeching of brakes, then a hand was on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry to treat you so roughly, Mrs. Simon…you are a very brave woman. I promise, if your husband cooperates, I'll return both of you home unharmed, at least…." He sighed, "you will be unharmed."

"No…" Laurie moaned. Instantly the covering over her face was unzipped, and a cloth was pressed over her mouth and nose.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Simon…but just in case we're stopped….." Laurie held her breath, already woozy from the fumes, then closed her eyes and pretended to go limp. Praying that he'd hurry and remove the cloth, she breathed out quietly, then felt the bag being zipped up.

"Rick? Darling…I'm coming….please hold on…." She "called". Moving as little as possible, she turned her watch to send, then fumbled for her transmitter pendant and jerked it off her neck. Hearing movement towards her, she dropped the pendant into her bra, then went limp again. For what seemed like hours the truck moved down the highway, then a faint voice entered her thoughts. "Laurie?…Where are you?"

"Steve!" she called back…then "told" him that she was in a truck of some kind….

"Rudy has a fix on you, honey….we're on our way now…."

"Steve….they threatened to kill Robbie….I had to go with them. .is he all right?" she worried.

"He's safe…Linda got the police on your tail as quick as she could…Ron had him and Linda and the children go to the ranch for safekeeping…." Steve answered.

Just then the truck made a violent turn to the left, then a quick right that caused Laurie to slide hard into something sharp. She let out a cry of pain as they stopped.

"Laurie?"

Rick's voice entered her thoughts, and she felt like weeping with joy…"Rick. .darling I'm here… hold on…" She told him, inadvertently letting out a sob.

"Mrs. Simon…I'm sorry…let me get you some air." Price's tone was worried as she felt the covering over her face lifted, and she opened her eyes to the dim interior of a delivery van.

"Charlie, open that door and be quick about it….I want her inside now."

Instantly she was picked up and carried out of the truck, then through a darkened corridor. A rattling of keys caught her ear, then she was inside a damp storeroom, staring at the bruised and bloody face of her husband as he blinked at her through swollen eyes.

"Rick….oh love…what did they do to you…" Laurie gasped. Rick took in her pale, tear-filled eyes, then growled, "Put her down….you're scaring her."

"Charlie, set her down on the bed…. Mr. Simon…I told you if you didn't agree to our terms, I'll send for your wife. Now…I'll give you five minutes to change your mind.." Price said firmly. Reaching over, he unzipped the bag holding Laurie, then drew out a knife and approached Rick.

"Don't move, Mr. Simon…I'll cut you loose, but one move, one attempt to escape and I'll kill you both."

Rick frowned at him, then froze as the ropes holding him fell away. As Price moved away from him, Laurie struggled free of the bag holding her, then reached out for Rick.

"Darling…." At once Rick moved towards her and in one motion had his arms around her.

"Laurie…sweetheart…" he whispered, kissing her face hungrily. Tears fell from her eyes as she crumbled against him. "They hurt you….Rick…I was so scared..I felt them hurting you."

"Shhh, I'm all right now…but ….darlin'…they want me to kill Oscar!" he quietly said, then stroked her hair as she let out a soft "no".

"I won't….I told them I won't…but ..they're going to kill you and our family if I don't…."

"No…I won't let them …" Laurie started, then she got an idea. "Love…I've got my …oh..they took my watch!" she blurted, noticing that her transmitter had been removed from her wrist. Rick hurriedly untied her wrists and gently rubbed them to restore her circulation.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart…" Rick murmured, then she put her fingers to his lips as she reached into her bra and pulled out her pendant.

"My smart girl…." He smiled, kissing her fingers, then taking the transmitter from her. "Keep an ear out, Laurie."

In a moment he had a frantic Oscar answering "Rick…son…are you all right…is Laurie there?"

"Yes, but we only have a minute…Dad…they want me to kill you…or they'll kill Laurie in front of me and go after our family." He answered.

"So that's what they wanted, huh, well…that tells me my hunch was correct…listen…Steve has a plan…"

Both Laurie and Rick barely got the details of what Steve had come up with when footsteps echoed in the hallway.

"All right, Dad…but you be careful….I'll never forgive myself…" Rick stopped when the doorknob turned. Secreting the transmitter in his pocket, Rick pulled Laurie against him as the door opened. Price came in, once again in suit and tie, followed by his two thugs.

"Well, Mr. Simon…what's your decision…Five hundred thousand dollars and you and your wife live, or I use this on her…" The one called Charlie held up a small black Taser and Rick felt Laurie start to tremble.

"No….I'll do it…but my way… You release my wife as soon as we leave…and I make sure Oscar doesn't suffer when I kill him."

A slight smile crossed Price's face as Laurie turned to her husband, shaking her head.

"Rick…no…please…I'm not worth it…don't kill Dad…please…" she cried. Gently Rick put his hand to her cheek.

"Sweetheart…I have no choice…I won't let them hurt you…and I know your father would sacrifice himself to save you." He looked up at their captor. "Do we have a deal?"

Over the sound of Laurie's protests, Price nodded. "Your wife will be driven to your home and dropped off by Charlie as soon as you and I leave. Gerald will follow us…just to make sure Oscar Goldman is finished off "properly", of course."

"Of course, but how do I know you'll keep your end of the bargain?" Rick "heard" Laurie tell him, "Steve's in position".

"You have my word, and we'll both leave at the same time. Now…say good bye to your wife…I happen to know Mr. Goldman's just about to leave OSI headquarters." Price patiently waited as Rick stroked Laurie's face. "Darlin'….I'll be home as soon as I can…please forgive me…" She nodded against his shoulder, then gasped as she was yanked out of his arms. At once Rick was pushed out of the room by Gerald, then as Price paused in the doorway, he quietly said, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Simon…we need to make sure you don't interfere."

Before she could resist, her wrists and ankles were bound, and a gag was tied over her mouth. Laurie gave a muffled cry as rough hands picked her up and carried her down a hall, then dropped her into the trunk of a car. Panicking, she tried to sit up, only to be forced down and the door closed.

"Laurie?" Rick heard his wife's distress as he got into the passenger side of a black sedan as Price took the wheel.

"Rick…I'm in the trunk of a car…dark blue…I think they're going to double-cross you!"


	6. Chapter 6

"Hold on, sweetheart…I'm going to tell Steve…." Rick "assured" her. As the garage door opened, Rick squinted in the morning daylight and saw a white car sticking out of an adjoining cargo bay.

"All right, Mr. Simon, there's your wife's transport….we'll go now." Price started, then Rick cut him off.

"Prove it! Something tells me you're double-crossing me…and my wife is going to die whether I take out Oscar Goldman or not! Have old Charlie there open it up and show me she's alive!"

Startled, Price began to pull out, only for Rick to make a grab at the parking brake and pull it. "I said prove it!"

Yanking out a radio from his breast pocket, Rick's captor pressed a button then said, "Charlie, open the passenger door and show Mr. Simon his wife is all right."

"Can't do that, Mr. Price….Our client says no witnesses…."

Purpling, the formerly calm man shouted, "And how do you suppose we can get Mr. Simon to cooperate now? Either we keep our word, or we can't deliver ….who's going to tell our client that?"

There was a moment of silence, then inching past the white car, a navy blue sports car drove out of the warehouse. As it went past them, the trunk was opened and Rick saw his wife's prone figure inside.

"That's all I wanted to know." Rick said, then Charlie's voice sounded again.

"That's your last look at her, Simon, unless you take out Goldman. Price, plans have changed, Gerald and I are both following you ….and only when Goldman's dead will we release Mrs. Simon."

"No! I gave my word…." Price started, only for Gerald to interrupt. "Drive, Price, or we'll take you out too, and deal with Williams ourselves."

_"Williams?…..Damn…"_ Rick thought.

Aloud he said, "Okay Price, let's go get this over with, before your goons mess everything up."

Grumbling, Price drove through the deserted industrial park that Rick figured was outside Chandler, then turned towards the highway. Looking in the rear view mirror, Rick saw the two cars behind them, and crossed his fingers. Within ten minutes, Price followed Rick's terse instructions and turned into a parking lot adjacent to the OSI office. As he pulled into a parking stall obscured by trees and shrubs, Rick slipped his hand into his pocket and silently tapped 3 times on his wife's transmitter.

"Okay, Price, give me the weapon." He ordered, then was handed a blue steel pistol.

Checking it over, he saw it had two bullets, and he nodded. "Okay, I'll be right back."

"I'm watching you, and so are they…" Price jerked his head, as he looked through the rear view mirror. Just as Rick got out, two cars immediately screeched into the lot, then blocked in both cars. Before either thug could get out of their vehicles, two blurs materialized at the drivers side of each car, yanking the doors off their hinges and pulling Charlie and Gerald out onto the pavement.

"What the…" Price twisted in his seat to see Rick holding the gun on him, then a familiar face came to stand next to him.

"Glad to see you, son…I'll take care of this scum." Oscar held out his hand and Rick presented him with the weapon, then limped over to the dark blue car. Steve had just yanked open the trunk and frantically Rick reached in and gently lifted his wife into a sitting position.

"Laurie, darlin'….." Rick carefully pulled the gag out of her mouth as Steve broke the ropes off her wrists and ankles. "Are you all right, are you hurt?"

"I'm okay, just sore….Rick….you figured it out….they were going to kill me then you…" she choked, trying to catch her breath. Rick stroked her face, then stood back as Steve lifted Laurie out of the trunk.

"I'm proud of you, honey …." Steve comforted her, hugging her as he set her on her feet.

"Thank you, Steve…you and Jaime got here just in time …" Rick wrapped his arms around Laurie as Jaime joined them. Her smile at seeing them faded as she saw the injuries to Rick's face, then a stain on Laurie's top.

"Sis…you're bleeding.." At once Rick lifted her blouse from her side to see a two-inch long cut above her hip, caked with blood and surrounded by a wide bruise.

"Angel….don't move…" Rick frantically pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, then he pressed it gently against the wound. Laurie saw the worry in his eyes, and leaned against him. "It's not bad, …Rudy will fix it..but they did worse to you, darling." Her lips quivered.

"Laurie! Rick!" Rick looked up to see his brother rushing towards him, followed by Rudy and Ron. Suddenly he had tears in his eyes, realizing he had almost died without telling A.J. he was sorry.

"Rick…thank God…" A.J. hugged both Laurie and Rick, then released Laurie for Oscar to embrace her. Rick hugged his brother back then choked, "I'm sorry, little brother…I should have turned around….helped you with the football practice. We could have gone fishing together…"

"No…I'm sorry I was mad, Rick….besides…what would they have done to me if I was with you?" A.J. replied, trying not to cry.

"Well, boys….you can finish apologizing to each other for your mid-life crisis later…I want you two at the hospital now." Rudy broke in, his arm around Laurie's shoulders.

Rick started to protest, then subsided as Laurie whispered "Please".

"Yes, sweetheart…." He sighed. As he and Laurie were led to Ron's police cruiser, they passed the three kidnappers, and Rick glared as Price shouted out, "I tried to save your lives…don't forget that!"

Before Rick could reply, Oscar spared a hateful look at the ringleader and snarled, "I won't forget, Lloyd, that you nearly killed my daughter and son-in-law just to make a few bucks off me!"

At that Rick nearly ran into Oscar. "Dad….his thugs said "Williams" was their it be Chris Williams?"

Oscar was spared answering as Steve nodded. "He hired these guys through his attorney…including former OSI Agent Price here. But thanks to your warning, that jerk is in solitary now. He won't get another chance to come after any of us."

"Thank God…." Jaime sighed, then caught the murderous look on her husband's face. She shivered, remembering the horror her former boyfriend had put them through.

"And…thank you, Steve….I love you." Steve's anger melted as he looked at the relief in her face.

"I love you too, Jaime…I'll always protect you." He chuckled as she put her arm around his waist and retorted, "you'd better!"

Rick saw his friends exchange and felt his own anger and guilt at what happened start to disappear. As Ron helped first him then Laurie into the cruiser, he began to relax. Closing his eyes, he smiled as a feather-light kiss crossed his cheek, and he curled his arm around his wife.

"I love you." he said, then opened his eyes to see Laurie gingerly reach out her fingers and caress his face. "I love you too, I think Nurse Laurie is going to have to kiss all your hurts and make them better."

It ached to grin, but grin Rick did. "Hey Ron, take your time driving to the hospital, we're in no hurry!"

His friend laughed. "Whatever you say, pal!"


	7. Chapter 7

"Rick….it's okay, if you don't want to talk, you don't have to…."

A.J. stared at his big brother across the living room, then sighed as Rick lowered his head and let out a deep breath. "I'm sorry, A.J….seems I'm not very nice to be around right now." For the umpteenth time in a week the younger Simon cursed the criminals who had turned their world upside down. Seemingly recovered from his ordeal, Rick had been short with A.J. since he had come by to talk him into going fishing.

"No…you're fine…just…you can't hold in what happened to you when you were kidnapped, Rick. I know….I wasn't much help before it happened…I felt so useless when we retired." At A.J.'s admission, Rick's head shot up. "Andrew Jackson Simon, who told you that you were useless? Are you useless helping kids learn a sport when their parents are too busy for them? Are you useless spending time with the kids …and helping Linda run your house?"

Hearing the vehemence of Rick's words, A.J. looked at him, then also hung his head.

"No…I'm not. But…I hate being retired. And something tells me that you don't like it either. That's why you went fishing without me….to get back to when you were footloose…could work a case then take off on your boat. Only thing is…Laurie let you do that without fussing…but I was jealous and made you feel old."

There was a moment when both Simons sat and thought. Slowly Rick started to talk, then it was like a river broke.

"I did…I felt old and like I needed answers…what was I going to do with myself…and Laurie…I felt so very guilty about leaving her behind without a thought. She never ever complains, but I stopped to call her…to tell her I was going to come home. You know what…being with her I don't mind retirement too much… Then that Price..he took me like I was an amateur. I was so helpless….." As he spoke, tears began to run down his cheeks, and A.J. ached for him.

"But the worst…when that Price had his goon shock me with a Taser…I wanted to die..it hurt so bad…I felt like I had lost control of my body…" At that A.J. moved to his brother's side and sitting on the sofa next to him, put an arm around him.

"Then…just when they stopped, Price almost got me to agree to do it..I would have done just about anything not to have that pain again." Rick stopped as Rudy Wells appeared in the dining room doorway.

"I'm sorry, guys…..Laurie told me you were in here….and I did knock."

Relieved to see the old doctor, Rick wiped his eyes as A.J. said. "It's okay, Rudy… "

Rudy sat down across from the brothers, then quietly said. "Go on, son…what stopped you from agreeing to cooperate with Price and his men."

"Laurie…she called out to me, Rudy…she felt my pain…told me to hang on. At once I realized she would suffer so much if I gave in, and it made me angry. So I spat in the bastards face, then he left me to "think about it." And…that's when he went after Laurie…" Suddenly Rick thought about the moment his wife reached out to him.

"Rudy…I was over an hour away from her….but Laurie felt my being shocked! How could that happen when to hear her thoughts, I have to be just a mile or so away?"

Rudy smiled reassuredly at the brothers. "I still can't figure it out…but somehow…when you are in distress, Missy can feel it from some distance away. She …..son, she was in so much pain Steve had trouble handling it, and Linda had to have her let go of you. When she did, the pain stopped. But Missy was upset, she still was able to reach out…and try to comfort you. No, Rick…. Your quick thinking and handling of the "deal" with Price was not the actions of a amateur…but of a brave man who saved his wife and father-in-law."

Rick let out a shuddering breath as A.J. spoke up. "And I've been thinking, Rick. Who said we have to retire? We could still take a case or two that Phoenix PD doesn't have time for!"

For a moment Rick thought about his brother's words, as well as the old doctor's. Then self-consciously , he cleared his throat.

"That's a good idea, A.J…..except…what if I freeze up the next time someone points a gun at me? I'm not as fast as I used to be.." he began. At that A.J. interrupted him.

"Neither am I…but I do think we have some value still…and I'm sure Ron can use the help! And…you were patient with me a time or two when I….got shaky."

Rick grinned at his brother's obvious subterfuge. "All right, I get it, little brother. Tell you what, why don't we talk about it with the final authorities?"

Incredulous, Rudy looked from brother to brother, then chuckled. "Final authorities? That's a good one, let me get them for you. Missy, Linny? You can come in now."

Two heads popped around the corner of the dining room door, then Laurie asked timidly, "We didn't want to interrupt you, guys…but…"

"But, I think you need to hear from us, now." Linda finished, her calm words belied by her worried face. At that Rick got up from the sofa, then held out his hand to his wife.

"Come on, sweetheart, let's go for a walk. A.J….you and Linny can, ah, discuss things here. Rudy, there's some sandwiches in the fridge."

"Don't mind if I and Jack help ourselves!" Rudy grinned, then right on cue Jack ran into the room and leaped into the older man's lap.

Giggling, Laurie took Rick's hand as he told Rudy, "Leave a sandwich or two for us, don't let that scalawag eat the whole plate!"

Hearing their friend's laughter as they left the house, Rick felt the beginning of a lightening of his spirit. As if to confirm his feelings, Laurie put her arm around his waist and leaned her head against his shoulder. As they walked along the meadow in back of their house, she started to speak.

"I know you've been wrestling with what happened, darling. I've been so angry at what those men did to you…" At that, Rick turned, then faced his wife.

"No, sweetheart…you need to let it go…I love my fierce girl….but we're safe now..and I need to deal with what happened and how we, you and I made it."

Suddenly Laurie began to cry, and startled, Rick put his arms around her and held her.

"What is it, darlin'….what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry , love…it's my fault…I made you stay with me, made you feel bad I wanted you at home with me. I don't like being alone….you wouldn't have been kidnapped if I hadn't made you want to go fishing by yourself." She wept.

At that Rick wanted to laugh….but he knew Laurie wouldn't understand. Gently he rocked her in his arms, then whispered, "Laurie, look at me."

She raised her eyes to his face, then saw the smile on his lips as he wiped her eyes with a Kleenex and said, "We're a pair, sweetheart. I felt useless for retiring and guilty because I enjoyed the part of retirement when I spent time with you. And you, my funny girl.." he kissed her neck, making her giggle. "You felt bad because your crazy husband liked being with you, watching over his angel and his family. Well…" he guided them to sit under a tree near the edge of the property. "I think I like this part of retirement, but what would you say if A.J. and I only helped out Ron and Phoenix PD on cases that they don't have time for?"

Laurie gazed at her husband, then smiled. "I think I'd say it was a great idea, by a very smart …" she kissed his lips, "and loving man. And…I think.."

"Shh…no more thinking…that's what gets us in trouble…" he said, kissing her deeply until they were both breathless. At last Rick released her lips, then simply held her as he added, "One thing, darlin'….I think I need to talk to Rudy…deal with some of what I feel about …being tortured. Do you think he'd mind?"

"I think he'd be upset if you didn't." she whispered, then tilted her head to look at him.

"I am so proud of you, proud of my brave husband…what ever you want to do, I'm beside you."

"You'd better…." Rick found himself choking up. At a loss for words, he instead engaged in another long kiss.

From the patio of the ranch house, A.J. and Linda could see the pair, and the younger Simon felt a swell of pride in his brother. Watching Rick and Laurie finally break their embrace, and start back toward the house, A.J. put an arm around his wife.

"Linny, I think he. .we're going to be all right."

"As your "final authority"", she said, kissing his cheek, then leaning contentedly against his chest, "I know we're going to be all right."

Fin


End file.
